HR/Pay staff has been individually reviewing (and often approving administratively) time submissions and absence requests that were not approved by supervisors prior to established pay period approval deadlines. This practice has been used by HR to ensure all KU employees are paid in a timely manner. Unfortunately this approach does not always accurately reflect the work done by employees and is inconsistent with KU audit standards. This review and approval practice will end for both time and absences as of the payroll period ending November 4, 2017. (Payroll period dates: 10/22/2017 -11/4/2017 – paid 11/17/2017)

At the same time we are modifying the HR/Pay system to display all Payable Time that is pending approval, thus eliminating the need for the supervisor to change or remove dates. In addition, for those who access the Timesheet, the start date will default to Sunday to correspond with the official start of the KU work week.

The HR/Pay team will still assist with individual issues upon contact and review. The Shared Service Centers activities are not changing and SSC HR representatives will still assist departments and employees as they do today.

Human Resource Management began moving the approval responsibility back to the supervisors in the fall of 2015 by working with the Dean’s office for the School of Business as a pilot. The School of Business contains a mix of faculty, staff and many students representing a variety of time and absence reporters and supervisors. We later added a large administrative area and several other departments to the pilot.

The success of the pilot program confirmed that all time and absence approvals should be conducted at the unit level. It is important to pay our employees both accurately and timely. General guidelines for supervisors approving time and absences and for their employees reporting time and absence are:

A revised Tuition Assistance Policy has been posted in the Policy Library with changes effective for the fall semester of 2017. A working group, composed of members from the Office of the Provost, Human Resource Management, the Policy Office, and representatives of the Staff Senate, revised the policy after extensive feedback from campus town hall meetings and from contacts during the policy comment period. The University is committed to the ongoing support of the tuition assistance program with the eligibility changes developed by the campus work group. Please view the revised policy at https://policy.ku.edu/human-resources/tuition-assistance-policy .

Tobacco Free Campus

In fall 2018 KU will join the ranks of over 1000 universities nation-wide to implement a tobacco free policy. KU will also join the ranks of other Kansas Board of Regents schools like PSU, FHSU, WSU, and KUMC that are tobacco free. Addiction to tobacco products predominantly occurs during high school and college years so KU joins other universities to create a healthier, more respectful and environmentally sustainable environment for our faculty, staff, students and visitors. During academic year 2017 – 2018 we will focus on education and information about the change. If you wish information about tobacco cessation services provided to faculty and staff as part of our health insurance program, please visit https://tobaccofree.ku.edu/cessation-information.

At this time, all Staff University-wide should be using the Performance Management System, in partnership with their supervisors to establish goals for 2017. More information about the Performance Management System can be found on the Human Resources Website. Training materials can be found here:

If you or your department would like to request additional training to include hands on training, please contact Katie McCauley at kmccauley@ku.edu

Worker’s Compensation Process – Upcoming Change

The University of Kansas provides workers’ compensation coverage to all employees, including student employees and part-time employees. If an employee is injured on the job, the injured employee is to report the incident to their supervisor or Human Resource Management (if the supervisor/manager is unavailable) within 24 hours. Departments/Supervisors are obligated whenever they become aware of an injury sustained at work, or whenever an employee reports an injury to fill out a report and submit it to Human Resource Management. The University’s current process is for supervisor’s to complete an electronic PDF form, 1101-A: Employer's Report of Accident.

Coming soon, in place of an electronic PDF form, will be an online web form.

The First Look webinar is an introduction to the benefit options that will be available for Plan Year 2018.

In addition to Plans A and C, there will be three (3) new medical plan options to consider (Plans J, N and Q). Aetna and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas will remain as the medical plan insurance companies.

Each session should last about 15 minutes and is designed as a quick introduction to the health plans. More detailed information will be presented during Open Enrollment in October 2017.

Plan Year 2018 SEHP elections cannot be made until Open Enrollment. The Open Enrollment portal in MAP (Membership Administration Portal) will be available from October 1 - 31, 2017 for employees to make their selections.

Active enrollment will be required for Plan Year 2018. If you have SEHP medical plan coverage in 2017, you must take action during Open Enrollment to elect a SEHP medical plan for Plan Year 2018, even if you wish to keep the same medical plan and the same insurance company. If you do not make an election, you will be defaulted into Plan N, with the same insurance company, with a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA). Please note HRA funds are not portable, remaining funds will return to SEHP and will not roll over.

Plan Year 2018 semi-monthly premiums, before the HealthQuest discount, are available on the SEHP website (click on “Active State Employee Rates”). Rates are effective 01/01/2018.

The First Look webinar schedule is listed below. Click the link to register for the webinar of your choice. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. If you are unable to attend one of these, the SEHP will be scheduling additional First Look webinars in the future.

Employees with employee only or employee and children coverage who earn 40 HealthQuest credits, including completing the Health Assessment Questionnaire, will receive a $480 reduction in 2018 SEHP medical plan premiums.

For employees with employee and spouse or employee and full family coverage, the employee and covered spouse will each need to earn 40 HealthQuest credits, including completing the Health Assessment Questionnaire, to get the full $480 reduction in 2018 SEHP medical plan premiums. If only one completes the requirements, the 2018 premium incentive discount will be $240.

For more information, click here or call 1-888-275-1205 option 3, available 24/7.

Reminder for Plan C members: deadline to earn additional HSA/HRA dollars is November 9, 2017 to allow time for claims to be processed and employer contributions made to employee’s accounts prior to 12/31/2017.

At-Home screening kit (worth 5 credits). Please note Plan C members must have kits ordered by October 9th and Plan A members must have kits ordered by November 1st.

Biometric results from physician – please take Biometric screening verification form to your appointment. (Please note: by using biometric results from your physician, you will not earn 5 credits for the screening itself but you will earn credits for the biometric values.)

Please visit the HealthQuest portal to learn more about the program and track your credits. To review the points you have earned in the HealthQuest Portal, click in Plan A/C Incentives tab and Incentive Summary.

How do I indicate that I am tobacco free and earn those credits?

3 credits are provided to members whose Cotinine test results are tobacco free. The Cotinine test is available in the biometric screenings and are optional.

For biometric results from a physician, if the provider completes the Cotinine (tobacco free) section of form, credits will be provided. Please note that Cotinine testing is not part of the standard lab testing at the physician’s office and you will incur an additional charge if the Cotinine test is ordered.

I have physical limitations that may prevent me from earning enough credits based on the current options on the incentive guide. How can I reach someone to discuss a reasonable alternative?

Biometric screening check in form requires “Member Number” or State of Kansas Identification number (SOKS ID) plus EE for employee or SP for spouse. SOKS ID is available on your paystub (directions to view stub here).

If you need further assistance with HealthQuest, please call 1-888-275-1205 option 3, available 24/7.

30 Day Health Insurance Waiting Period Waiver Process

A frequently asked Benefits question is about the 30 day waiting period for new employees’ coverage. The SEHP mandates new employees serve a 30-day waiting period before they are eligible for health insurance coverage. New employees become eligible for coverage the first day of the month following completion of the 30-day waiting period.

The SEHP states that a waiver of the 30 day waiting period can be sought only in the case where the "potential new employee is required to have insurance as a condition of obtaining a work visa for employment in the United States.

If you believe you may be eligible for a waiver of the 30 day waiting period:

“Staff are the bedrock of our university and contribute to every aspect of our mission. But when emergencies happen, we all need someplace to turn for assistance. This fund was created to provide emergency assistance to KU staff members who are facing financial hardship due to natural or personal disasters.” —Chancellor Gray-Little

Staff, faculty, students and alumni who want to honor Dr. Gray-Littles legacy and make a meaningful difference in the lives of KU staff can make a donation to the fund online at http://kuendowment.org/StaffAssist

If you become aware that an employee will be departing from the University or transferring to another department/school, please forward the employee a link to, and encourage the employee’s completion of, the University’s online Exit Interview Questionnaire prior to departure/transfer.

The University’s online Exit Interview Questionnaire is a means for Unclassified Professional Staff (UPS) and University Support Staff (USS) [who (1) resign, (2) retire, (3) depart from the University due to non-reappointment or layoff, or (4) transfer to another KU department] to comment upon their KU employment experience. Providing feedback assists the University in its ongoing efforts towards achieving excellence and ensuring that the dignity and rights of individuals are respected.

Chair massages for neck, shoulders and back are available in 15-minute increments at a rate of $15 per increment per therapist. To make a reservation, please call 785-864-9752.

Pedal Your Way to Wellness: Earn HealthQuest Credit for Biking

KU employees can earn up to 4 HealthQuest credits by joining the University of Kansas in the National Bike Challenge and logging their rides, all summer through September 2017.

No group or team participation is necessary. Simply log any bike ride through the central tracking platform and your eligibility for the biking credits will be reported to the HealthQuest Program at the end of the challenge in September.

To find out more about the opportunity and how to get started, please follow the steps for joining the KU National Bike Challenge Club and logging rides at sustain.ku.edu/wellness.